Composition and stability of coyote families and territories in North Dakota

Coyote (Canis latrans) families studied in North Dakota during 1976 to 1978 contained three or more adults during the spring-summer season, and they occupied large contiguous, non-overlapping territories. Coyote territories averaged 61 km2 during the spring-summer season and 30 km2 during fall-winter season. Three of four families occupied territories that were similar in size for two consecutive years; however, boundaries changed within individual families when one or both alpha adults were killed. All coyotes replacing dead alpha adults were 1 year old.